Lost Boys and Found Friends
by SalazarSlitheredIn
Summary: Hogwarts, 1971. James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew begin their lives in the wizarding world. This year new friends and old blood start each of them on their paths to becoming the men they will be. This is the first of nine stories that will chronicle their lives during the first rise of Voldemort. Rated T for fantasy violence, language, and mature themes.
1. All Aboard!

**Chapter 1 - All Aboard!**

 _We've Only Just Begun – The Carpenters (1970)_

It was fairly early in the morning when Sirius Black arrived at platform 9¾. His father had accompanied him to the station at half past nine and little time was lost as he briskly led his son through the barrier and onto the platform. Sirius spared a moment of gratitude to his cousin Andromeda for telling him just what to expect and a moment of pride as he failed to flinch when face came into contact with what appeared to be a brick wall. All he had managed to gather from his parents about Hogwarts school consisted of snippets of overheard conversation, mainly about the slipping standards of management.

"It is essential to be punctual, Sirius." Orion Black had informed him before they set off that morning, speaking softly despite the large expanse of marble that separated them across the dining table. "I guarantee you it will be the muggle impostors who arrive last. Never allow yourself to be caught at the disadvantage."

"Yes, father." Sirius had replied, wondering privately just what disadvantage could come from not having to stand around in the cold autumn breeze for hours on end but knowing better than to argue.

"When you are sorted you may discuss any questions you have with Malfoy, I hear from Narcissa that he has been made prefect. I trust that you will exercise discretion in your other associations."

"Yes, father." He had been escorted from the house without further ceremony and had been grateful to have said his goodbyes to his younger brother Regulus before breakfast.

In front of the largest red steam engine Sirius had ever encountered his father turned to look down his straight nose at him at seemed to brace himself for a farewell.

"Until Christmas."

Sirius had opened his mouth to reply but his father had already turned away, the tails of his robes seeming to float along in the fog and steam that covered the ground. Until Christmas. He'd feel insulted that his father seemed so eager to get rid of him had he not been so eager to go.

And so it was that Sirius was found, almost an hour later, by a slight boy with wild, dark hair, mussed robes pulled hastily over jeans and a blue shirt, and the widest grin that Sirius had ever seen. He entered the compartment and sat, opposite where Sirius lounged over two seats, looking expectantly up at another young boy who was still leaning against the doorway.

"Well?" James asked him, "Are you staying or not?"

"Sure, if it's okay with him." He nodded at Sirius who shrugged vaguely. "I'm Bertram, Bertram Aubrey."

"Sirius." But he chose not to offer any more than that, having never heard the name Aubrey. "And who are you?" He cast an appraising look at the taller boy opposite him. "Or more like, who do you think you are?"

To his surprise and, Sirius himself was nonplussed to find, his relief, the boy threw his head back and laughed, sticking out his hand.

"James Charlus Potter." He proclaimed, "And I'm sure the honour is all yours."

"Potter, eh?" Aubrey mused, "That's an old name. Think you're something special then?"

"Yeah, but it's not about the blood, it's about the looks, the talent, and of course the hair."

"I'm pretty sure that comes under looks." Said Sirius.

"Nope, it needs a category all on its own. It's just that good."

"And I don't know what good talent's going to do you when first years can't even participate in the most important part of Hogwarts." Aubrey sighed.

"What do you mean?" It was Sirius who asked, having deduced that Aubrey must have at least some wizard blood, to speak so knowledgeably about Hogwarts. Not that it particularly mattered to him, his father had been clear on the kind of people he was meant to be befriending, but after all wasn't this what he'd been waiting for, and this was his chance to act without his family's shadow hanging over him. He was glad that the other two didn't seem to have known each other for long at all either. It seemed like this was a fresh start for everyone, conversation coming naturally as they shared their enthusiasm. Moreover, James wasn't acting like any pure-blood Sirius had ever met.

"Quidditch." James and Aubrey had spoken simultaneously and spared each other a quick grin before launching into an explanation that was making Sirius' head spin, even though he already knew most of what he was being told.

"We're meant to start learning this year-"

"To fly, at least."

"But really that's just for the muggleborns-"

"But we can't join the teams until second year-"

"Because of some stupid rule-"

"After some first year chaser took a bludger to head back in-"

"'57, not that it matters cause we're not allowed our own brooms anyway-"

"Not that I haven't got one, I got the Nimbus 1000 for Christmas last year!"

"No way!"

It was during this tirade that the door slid open and a small girl with fiery red hair attempted to slide surreptitiously into the corner seat. This might have been more conspicuous had her face not been streaked with tears. She wiped the sleeve of her blouse against her eyes and stared with rapturous intensity at the passing countryside. The boys exchanged an uneasy look.

"I… I'm gonna miss my parents too." James hedged and after the moment it took the girl to realise she had been speaking to him she threw him a feeble smile but then turned her face away. James seemed to take this as a cue to return to the conversation at hand and he and Aubrey picked up their tirade against the school rules after only a moment of awkward silence. James had just begun a somewhat bloodthirsty and largely fictitious re-enactment of the bludger incident in question when the door slid open again.

Like Sirius, this boy was already dressed in school robes, oversized though they were, and his thin lips were pursed into an expression of concern. He crossed immediately over to the girl hunched in the corner seat beside the window, and though the boys tried not to listen in on their conversation but given the tight quarters found it impossible. James increased the volume of his monologue.

"I don't want to talk to you." She said in a constricted voice.

"Why not?"

"Tuney h – hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

"So what?"

She gave him a look which Sirius recognised from his mother's face after the last time he had suggested enchanting the elf heads on their wall to sing Christmas carols.

"So she's my sister!"

"She's only a -" He caught himself quickly; Lily too busy trying to wipe her eyes without being noticed, did not hear him.

"But we're going!" He said, unable to suppress the exhilaration in his voice, "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

She nodded, mopping her eyes, half smiling.

"You'd better be in Slytherin."

"Slytherin?" James, turned to look at them, eager for an excuse to intrude on the conversation. Sirius got the impression that his parents had never explained to him the importance of tact.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin?" he said "I think I'd leave wouldn't you?"

"My whole family have been in Slytherin." Sirius couldn't quite bring himself to smile.

"Blimey, and I thought you seemed all right!"

"Maybe I'll break the tradition." Sirius grinned. "Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

"' _Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!_ ' Like my dad."

The girl's friend made a small disparaging noise. James could hardly help rising to a challenge like that.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No," He sneered, "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy-"

"Where're you hoping to go seeing as you're neither?" Sirius asked snidely.

James roared with laughter. Lily glared at them and stood up.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment."

"Oooooo …" James and Sirius mocked.

"See ya, Snivellus!" James tried to trip him as they left.

* * *

Remus had arrived to the station and endured a couple of minutes of the same platitudes and promises that his father had been drilling into him since Dumbledore's visit to the Lupin's humble residence early that August. As well as the not so subtle reminders of what he had to be careful of. None of it mattered to him now. Here he was, stepping into a world he had never dreamed he could be a part of, his father's world of magic. His mother, a muggle, although she was privately aware of the wizarding world, had not joined them at the station.

Finally he said his goodbyes and turned to board the train, slipping into the first empty carriage he found and settling into the window seat. He was joined a moment later by two more boys, the first smiling nervously, the second wearing a look of serene benevolence.

"Hi! I'm Peter." The first boy introduced himself in a high pitched voice. He was shorter than Remus and the other newcomer and more well-rounded, hair a mousey brown which looked as though it was fading back from the sun bleaching of summer. His watery blue eyes were wide and sincere.

"Xenophilius Lovegood." Said the latter. His appearance was another thing altogether; white blonde hair in loose waves which seemed to float upon the air around him, his eyes, though also blue, seemed to be misted over like clouds passing through clear sky. The overall effect was somewhat ethereal and a little ludicrous.

"I'm Remus." Well that had been easy, how was it people went about making friends? There must be more to it than this, "Are you first years too?"

"Yeah," Peter said, "Guess we'd better stick together for now!" He'd been worried that things would be like they had been at his junior school, other children seeming to sense that he was fair game. Playing pranks on him and laughing, even when he stood up to them. That was not going to happen at Hogwarts. Peter would make sure of it.

"What is that?" Remus asked Xenophilius, who had produced a newspaper from the inside pocket of his loose jacket and was turning it over in his hands.

"The Daily Prophet." He replied, and then to the others surprise began to tear a page from the back, "Not that you ought to believe a word of it, idiotic editors wouldn't know what to do with a real story if they had one. I just want the arithmancy cryptic." And with that he pushed the maimed paper into Remus' hands and began to stare intently at the scrap of paper he now held, which seemed to resemble a crossword.

Remus looked down curiously at the newspaper's headline; ' _Royston Idlewind now chasing international career!'_ The article was accompanied by a moving picture of Idlewind who appeared to be trying to conduct a board meeting whilst seated on his broomstick captioned, 'New director of international quidditch committee'. Peter laughed at the photo but quickly lost interest opening his mouth to ask Xenophilius something when the door slid open again and the three boys were joined by a pair of young women.

"We can sit in here with you right? I'm Greta Catchlove and this is Rosalind Gray." Greta was a short, plump blonde girl with bright blue eyes and a million watt smile as she ushered Rosalind, who was almost her exact antithesis from her darker complexion and eyes to her easy grace as she sunk into the indicated seat.

"Oh of- of course," Peter stammered, shifting down towards the window to leave a rather unnecessarily large gap between himself and the girls, "Are… are you two friends?"

"Our parents introduced us on the platform," Rosalind told him, "Kept telling me how important it was to make friends early."

Peter nodded wisely, remembering what his father had said about surrounding yourself with the right people, he didn't think he was doing so badly so far, even if one of his new 'friends' had been staring blankly at an empty puzzle grid for the last few minutes.

"You're already wearing your robes." Greta was looking at Remus now, "what are your names by the way? Are you three friends? Do you think we should put our robes on yet? Are we meant to be wearing them when we get there?"

"Umm…" Remus hesitated as he tried to figure out which question to answer first, finally settling on just saying, "I'm Remus." Rosalind laughed but took pity on him.

"I think we're meant to be wearing them when we arrive, I think there's supposed to be some sort of formal meal when we get there."

"My mum said not to put them on yet, in case I get them mucky," Peter said, "I'm Peter, by the way, and this is…"

"Xenophilius." Remus supplied, sensing that Peter had forgotten and Xenophilius himself didn't seem inclined to look away from his arithmancy puzzle yet.

"Weird name." Greta told him, "Cool hair though."

"Thank you." Xenophilius finally set the paper aside, "It was my aunt's."

"The hair or the name?" Remus couldn't help but ask.

"Both."

"Hmm." Remus said, because there didn't seem to be anything else to say, "Got bored with the puzzle?"

"Finished it actually." Xenophilius said with no small amount of pride, seeming not to notice both Peter and Remus glancing at the unfilled page with looks of confusion. "Rosalind Gray? Your mother is in the ministry."

"What? Oh, yes she is. She works in the department of magical creatures… you know her?" The tone of her voice suggested that she thought it to be unlikely.

"My father writes to her sometimes but she hasn't sent him a reply yet. He needs funding for his latest journey to northern Europe, he's going to find evidence of the crumple-horned snorkack there. The ministry's records on the more obscure creatures are truly frighteningly incomplete."

"What on earth is a snorkack?" Rosalind asked.

"A _crumple-horned_ snorkack." Xenophilius impressed, "We've only theorised about what lesser species may have moved into more mountainous areas."

"My dad works in the ministry too," Greta seemed unperturbed, "I don't know what he does but it seems awfully dull. My mum's a chef though, I wonder if Hogwarts teaches cooking."

"The closest thing's probably potions, but I wouldn't recommend drinking too many of those, did you see what was on our equipment lists? Newt eyes and all kinds of horrible animal parts!" Peter was clearly feigning his disgust but the girls still laughed.

"Well I don't know about that. My favourite class is definitely going to be divination." Greta replied, "I can't wait to see what's in my future. What about you Remus?"

"I just want to get through the sorting for now." He told her truthfully, "No one really told me how they do it." He trailed off, hopping that one of the other's might have had parents with a little more sympathy for their children's nerves. His own father had only chuckled knowingly and told him that part of the 'sorting experience' was the anticipation itself. Whatever that meant.

* * *

Lily pulled Severus along the train by his sleeve, glancing as she did into each compartment, poking her head into some of the less occupied ones to look for seats, electing not to venture into the one from which large clouds of green and viscous gas were creeping under the doorway. She finally stopped at a group of students, easily recognisable as first years by their general air of nervous excitement.

"Mind if we join you?" Lily asked, pulling open the door, and Severus found himself a little envious as the other boys in the compartment answered Lily's smile immediately and shifted together to make room for them. It was a little cramped with seven of them squashed onto the padded seats, but the warm atmosphere seemed to wash away any sense of awkwardness that might usually have plagued a group of almost perfect strangers.

"Of course not!" The girl who spoke was plump and rosy with wide blue eyes and she spoke in a high pitched chirrup. Severus visibly recoiled. "I'm Greta. This is Rosie, Petey, Remus and Xeno!"

She attributed the names randomly so as they might have belonged to anyone in the carriage and Lily and Severus were left glancing from face to face searching for better introductions.

"Rosalind." The girl next to her clarified, giving Lily and Severus a look that signified her amused distaste. From the way a couple of the other boys shifted Lily deduced that 'Rosie' was not the only one to have been introduced by a nickname not of their choosing, but was the only one brave enough to dispute it.

As they slipped into the corner seats by the door, Lily's gaze couldn't help being drawn to a boy with a slightly gaunt face and long hair, blonder than she could ever remember seeing, and glazed blue eyes which seemed out of place above the dreamy smile he wore as he slowly braided and unbraided the hem of his fraying jumper. Lily met Severus' eyes and they shared a private smile. She wasn't quite sure why but she had an inexplicable feeling that this was 'Xeno'.

"I'm Lily."

"Severus."

"We were just talking about the sorting!" Greta chirped, "I heard it's different every year."

"My dad told me it was going to hurt!" Peter exclaimed animatedly, "He said it's like a test so they can tell everything about you. He said its right in front of everyone and if you fail you have to go and work in the kitchens with the house elves."

"How can a test hurt?" Rosalind asked skeptically.

"You obviously didn't go to the same muggle hospitals I did." One of the other boys dead-panned and Lily smiled, a part of her hadn't believed Sev's assertions that there would be other students from non-magical backgrounds.

"Well I suppose he might've been joking…" The chubbier boy said defensively, "But it's got to be some kind of test doesn't it?"

"These things often are." Xeno nodded slowly to himself and gave Lily the impression that he hadn't been speaking about anything overly specific.

"I'm Remus, by the way." The first boy told them. He looked a little pale, Lily thought to herself, almost as if he was coming down with something, but more likely it was nerves. She had barely slept a wink last night herself, after all.

"Oh! Yeah, I'm Peter." And he waved a little at each of them. Lily noticed that he held his wand clutched tightly in his left hand.

"Can you do any magic?" She couldn't help but ask. "Only Sev knows some really neat tricks," He looked at her sharply, "-spells, I mean. Do you think we're allowed to do magic on the train?"

Both Severus and Peter looked a little abashed, Severus at not knowing the answer to her query and Peter at her first question.

"I wouldn't risk it." Rosalind told them warily.

"I don't know any _real_ spells." Peter said, "But when I first got my wand I made sparks!"

"Everyone does something when they first match their wand." Severus' tone was condescending, "It's not like you're the only one."

Peter flushed at this and there seemed to be a brief flicker at the end of his wand, almost like an involuntary reaction or the twitch of a muscle. Peter yelped and dropped it.

* * *

"So Slytherin, eh?" James leaned back in his seat and fished into the pocket of the jeans he wore beneath his robes to pull out a packet of every flavour beans. "You do look like a pureblood."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Sirius asked indignantly. Aubrey stiffened in his seat next to James and leveled a glare at him.

"You're not one of those are you?" He asked coolly, and James had to look up from his beans to study the set of Aubrey and Sirius' faces for a moment before he realised that the atmosphere had grown serious.

"One of what?"

"Someone who thinks that people with magical blood are better than muggleborns." Aubrey explained quietly. "Only there've been rumours… not like there haven't always been people who thought like that but lately…"

"It's not just rumours." Sirius brow had knitted together. "People are starting to get scared. Folks like my parents, have started talking about doing something."

"Something like what?" Aubrey asked and Sirius hesitated, something telling him to hold back.

"I'm not, I mean I wouldn't!" James stuttered indignantly. "Why bother being a Gryffindor if you're not going to stand up for people anyway?"

"Other houses are just as good at that you know," Aubery said sulkily, "Gryffindor doesn't hold the monopoly on moral fibre."

"What's monopoly?"

"It's when one group is in charge of a whole thing… or a muggle board game depending on who you ask."

"What's fibre?"

"It's in your cereal." James pulled a face.

"Bet you're a Ravenclaw." Sirius jeered.

"I don't know why you think it's so funny to find learning more interesting than starting fights." He sniffed, "But yeah, my parenys were both in Ravenclaw. And I bet you anything you're looking at their new quidditch team captain!"

"Hah! You'll be trying to get me on your team whatever house I end up in." James crowed, "I'm the best chaser you ever saw, if I'm not on the team by second year the whole thing's rigged."

"Bold talk, Potter, but I don't think I'm ready to make any bets over it yet. Next year though?"

"Definitely." James told him and they both, although rather arbitrarily in Sirius' opinion, shook hands.

"Hold on though." James' mind had eventually wandered back to the original line of questioning. "I thought blood supremacy was meant to be dying out not coming back."

"Some people say it's because of all the pureblood families going to Slytherin, recycling all that hate around in the same places until some of them get crazy enough to start hexing muggleborns." Aubrey mused.

"But Slytherin's always been full of purebloods, why now?" James kept his eyes on Sirius as he posed the question and saw the almost imperceptible wince that made him wonder if he knew more than he was letting on. He popped another every flavour bean into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

"Dunno. But that's why I'm not going to end up in Slytherin." Sirius grinned wryly, "I'm going to be the black sheep of the Black family even if it kills me.

James choked.

"Heard of my name, Potter?"

"No… I-" He finally pulled himself together enough to stop coughing and threw the pack of Bertie Botts every flavour beans at Sirius. "I think I got troll flavour."

* * *

By unspoken agreement the boys wandered down the train to change into their school robes in the toilets, Remus and Severus stepping out of the compartment to wait in the hallway while Lily, Greta and Rosalind changed, the two of them having boarded in robes. By the time they were all once again seated the train was beginning to slow and the atmosphere of anticipation was becoming overwhelming. The whistle finally blew as the train rolled to a stop and Remus and Peter pressed up against the windows to try and see anything through the darkness. Greta pulled open the door and their motley crew joined the throng of black robes pushing their way off the train. Lily didn't think she'd ever seen Severus smile as much as he was now, sticking close beside her so as not to become separated in the rush of students hurrying to get back out of the chilly September air as soon as possible. The seven of them stumbled across the platform which a large overhead sign decreed as 'Hogsmeade' and towards the sound of a deep voice summoning first years. Once a group of around forty students had amassed the owner of the voice which had been calling them begun to lead them down a steep path and as the moonlight illuminated the front of this procession Lily was astonished to see that the man leading them must have been almost twice the height of a normal man. She marvelled at how she had failed to notice him before, glancing at Severus but seeing the mask of indifference that he so often wore, she turned instead to Remus and Peter.

"He must be like twenty feet tall!" Peter gasped and Remus chuckled, leaning in to whisper to Lily.

"I bet he's part giant."

"Giant?" She couldn't tell from his face if he was joking but didn't have time to ask before they were jostled to within earshot of the colossal man.

"No more than four to a boat!" They had reached the end of the trail and the trees parted to reveal a shimmering lake, topped by a fleet of wooden rowing boats, although they didn't appear to have oars, and they were now being ushered towards them. "Name's Hagrid, I'll be taking you up to the castle so we'll be sailing across the lake. Do try not to fall in."

Greta, Peter, Rosalind and Remus ended up in one boat while Xeno drifted into an empty one and was joined by a trio of giggling girls before Lily and Severus had the chance to join him. They wandered over to another, Severus deliberately steering them away from the boys from the first compartment, and were quickly joined by a pair of boys who introduced themselves briefly as Nott and Avery. Lily got the impression that Snape recognised them, or at least their names as he nodded and exchanged his own name and Lily's.

They clambered into the boats and Lily looked around curiously, there didn't appear to be any oars or motor and she was more than grateful that she wouldn't be expected to row. Hagrid had finished directing the last couple of students into the last remaining rowboats and clambered into his own, pushing it forward into the lake and appearing to steer himself to the front of their fleet with nothing but a wave of his hand. Lily heard him shout ' _Forward!"_ and with a jolt they began to move. She gasped and held tightly to the wooden seat, taken aback in astonishment as they started to float across the mirrored surface of the lake.

The ride was silent, but it hardly mattered. Almost every student was struck dumb by the sight that greeted them across the dark water. The castle was magnificent, illuminated in a way that the moon alone couldn't have been responsible for. The bright lights from the windows pricked the night as bright as stars and three towers disappeared into darkness above their heads. It was so fantastic, Lily thought to herself, it was just magic. She turned her head hoping to share her awe with Severus and his smile was every bit as wide and wondrous as her own, only he wasn't looking at the castle, just at the reflection of her laughing face in the dark water. And as she leaned against him in defence against the biting wind she was struck by a thought so bittersweet it almost moved her to tears. _Petunia would have loved this._

* * *

James and Sirius dismounted their boat without incident, although Sirius had threatened to push James in if asked one more time who would win in a fight between Hagrid and a giant squid that his dad had apparently told him lived in the lake. They were rounded up and led to a set of rather grand looking doors, gilded in gold. James was practically vibrating with excitement, spinning around and craning his neck to see as much as possible, taking in what he could see of the castle walls, other students, and the murky outlines of trees lining the lake's banking, all the while running a hand through his messy dark hair.

"Students." A crisp clear voice cut through all chatter, "Welcome, to your first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The witch who spoke was dressed head to toe in robes of glittering emerald. She was beautiful, in an austere sort of a way, and her Scottish bur seemed to hold a hypnotic power over what might normally have been an uncontrollably rowdy group of eleven and twelve year olds.

"My name is professor McGonagall, I will be instructing all of you in the art of transfiguration, and I am also the head of Gryffindor house." James and Sirius exchanged a small grin at this. "You are about to enter the great hall to be sorted. You will come forward when your name is called and be placed into one of the four houses. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has their own merits and it is to be expected that you will find likeminded young witches and wizards with which to socialise during your stay here. You will share your dormitories, meals, and the majority of your classes with your own houses, after the feast you will follow your house prefects to your common room, where you will spend most of your free time. After the sorting there will be a few words from the headmaster, I trust that you will all endeavour to make the best possible first impressions upon the school this evening."

And with that she turned, sweeping her arms wide, and the doors to the great hall burst open.

* * *

 **AN** \- So there we have chapter one. I hope you enjoyed it, feel free to leave any reviews of any sort as all feedback is appreciated, particularly if anyone spots any grammatical or continuity errors. Check out my profile for more detail on the story.

The dialogue between lines 76 and 103 belongs to JK Rowling. This work is non-profit and non-commercial and all rights and characters are the sole property of JK Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended.


	2. Home

**Chapter 2 - Home**

 _Do You Believe In Magic? – The Lovin' Spoonful (1965)_

Remus stared up in awe as they entered the hall and saw students to his left and right doing the same, for the ceiling appeared to be nothing but open sky. The places where rafters and tiles would be in a muggle building had been replaced by swirling cloud and inky blackness, although it was several degrees warmer than it had been on the other side of the door. He stumbled slightly, and apologised to a boy in front of him with shoulder length black hair that fell in somehow aristocratic looking waves, embarrassed but mollified to find that the boys grey eyes were too busy taking in the scene to meet his anyway as he accepted the apology. It was almost like some fantastical dream, and Remus looked around, panicked for a moment, only to meet the bright blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. He felt immediately calmed. How could he have imagined something as incredible as this?

Professor McGonagall had led them all the way to the furthest wall from the entrance and was now indicating to the front of the line that they should stop, centered before the long staff table behind which a huge array of extravagantly dressed witches and wizards watched their procession with varying degrees of interest. Remus watched in apprehension as she walked over to a tall stool upon which lay a pile of dark fabric which might have resembled a somewhat shapeless hat. He tried not to let too much of his nerves show, mostly for the benefit of Peter who was shuffling anxiously beside him and a glance around him showed that almost three quarters of those lined up looked as though they had no idea what was happening. The mutual confusion felt oddly unifying, although Remus noticed that the boy with the grey eyes seemed to be not only completely relaxed but almost bored. Remus felt slightly vindicated when even this boy jumped as the hat begun to sing;

 _Welcome all young students,_

 _To this most historic school,_

 _And I'm the smartest of the lot,_

 _Although I sit upon this stool._

 _But do not doubt my judgement,_

 _A hat like me is never wrong,_

 _I'll have you figured in an instant_

 _And I'll know where you belong._

 _Perhaps you are for Gryffindor,_

 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_

 _If you'd try your hand at glory_

 _Then this is where you start._

 _The house of fair Hufflepuff,_

 _Instead might serve you well,_

 _If ethics in both work and love_

 _Are where your spirits dwell?_

 _Ravenclaw would better fit,_

 _When insight inflames passion,_

 _And knowledge new and vast is found,_

 _By every hand and fashion;_

 _Some find their way in Slytherin_

 _Should they wish to reach their goals,_

 _Through cunning means and clever schemes,_

 _Amongst their kindred souls._

 _And thus, don me! The Sorting Hat!_

 _My thoughts are seldom dull,_

 _And if you wish to find your place,_

 _Let's see what's inside your skull!_

Remus couldn't help but be a little intimidated by a magical object that had just threatened to look inside his skull but he had to admit it had a lovely singing voice for a headpiece. The students burst into a flurry of applause and Dumbledore himself could be heard clapping at a resonant pace, looking over the stunned first years with a smile.

"Phillip Adrian."

McGonagall's voice seemed to have rooted the boy in question to the spot. She was forced to repeat herself more loudly before a boy with unfortunate ears, and a similarly unfortunate lack of coordination, stumbled up to the rickety stool. There were titters among the older students and their amusement seemed to settle some of the more anxious muggleborns in the waiting crowd; surely they wouldn't be laughing if anything too dangerous was about to happen. Adrian took his seat and Remus, Peter and Lily watched together in astonishment as McGonagall begun to lower a ragged looking hat over his head. The brim had just succeeded in slipping past Adrian's ears when the tear in the hat's cloth opened and announced; ' _Ravenclaw_!'

Soft applause broke out Adrian pushed the hat up from his eyes and returned it to McGonagall, before being directed over to the table beneath the royal blue banners and eagle emblem.

"Bertram Aubrey"

Bertram too joined Ravenclaw, although it seemed that his sorting took considerably longer than Adrian's. Sirius was putting far too much effort into trying to remain nonchalant to be really paying attention.

"What do you suppose the hat actually does?" Sirius hissed to James, "I mean, it's just an old scrap of leather. My father just said you try it on and it sends you to your 'rightful place'." He had a sudden image of clawed hands raking through his brain, though rationally he knew the hat had none.

"I bet it reads minds." Sirius scoffed at this but James persisted, "No, really. My dad told me you get sorted according to who you really are, so it must have some magical way of knowing, right?"

"I guess." Sirius replied moodily, glaring at the hat with suspicion. Mind reading sounded even more intense than he had imagined. It was had barely taken a second to sort Marcus Avery into Slytherin, who clapped slowly, as if they had already known Avery was one of theirs, and Sirius' time to ponder ran out.

"Sirius Black."

Sirius walked up to the stool with all the authority and gravitas of the heir of the house of Black, before plonking himself down and throwing a cocky grin with very little power behind it over to James. He begun to swing his legs between the stool's rungs, but stopped when McGonagall threw him a reproachful glance. She lowered the hat over his eyes and Sirius was suddenly subject to the strangest feeling – almost as if someone was rummaging through his mind like a drawer. ' _Another Black? But what do we have here…'_ Sirius found himself glancing around in the darkness as if he might catch a glimpse of whomever had spoken. It didn't take too long for him to realise that the hat's voice was echoing only within his head. Good, he really didn't need his soul baring before a hall of nosey teenagers. ' _You have it all you know; the cunning, the ambition, everything you'd need in Slytherin. But what to do about that heart, all that determined spirit? Quick too, but really there's only one place for you, yes, it'll have to be…'_ – "Gryffindor!"

Sirius squinted as the hat was pulled away from him and stumbled towards the Gryffindor table, heart seeming to both soar and sink simultaneously. It seemed that a good proportion of the student and indeed even staff body was too busy staring to applaud right away, but soon a tumultuous cheer was raised from the Gryffindor table. Sirius couldn't help but glow a little under the attention, let them stare, he thought, let them all see that I'm not like the others. He caught his Cousin Andromeda's eye from where she sat at the furthest table from him and returned her incredulous smile. He stumbled into a seat next to a pair of twins who reached out to shake his hands eagerly with an identical grin. The two of them leaning over to whisper a greeting to him without disturbing the sorting of Alexander Bones.

"Welcome to Gryffindor then, Black!"

"Thought we'd seen the last of your lot when darling Bella left."

"Not that we mind."

"Seeing as you seem to be a good bet for defying expectations."

"And you're a good deal better looking than she ever was."

"Hi." Sirius managed.

"How rude of us. I'm Fabian Prewett."

"And I'm Gideon."

"Although you'll never be able to tell if that was true or not."

"And that's the way they like it." A girl wearing a shining Gryffindor prefects badge interrupted them, "Now shut up! You wouldn't like it if a pair of overgrown infants had disturbed your sorting."

* * *

"I guess he got what he wanted then." Lily murmured, prompting confused glances from Peter and Remus and a vague 'hmm' from Severus. Lily knew him well enough to know that he was actually surprised by Black's outcome but was choosing not to comment on it. Greta trotted up to become the first Hufflepuff to more applause. The tension was building up inside Lily's chest now and she found herself grateful that her name would be called sooner than Sev's. It was irrational but just this once she wanted to learn this thing about herself before he could tell her something she hadn't known before she'd even considered it. There was only one 'D' – Davies, Hufflepuff - and the remaining band who had shared their first train ride in all gave her encouraging smiles as McGonagall called her name.

"Lily Evans."

Lily walked on trembling legs and sat. She felt a flutter of air as the hat begun to lower over her head, but before McGonagall had even let go of it, the tear in the fabric split for the hat to declare her a "Gryffindor!"

She turned back to the group waiting to be sorted as she trotted over to her new table. Perhaps Severus would be sorted into Gryffindor after all, and if not, Lily mused to herself, it wasn't as if they couldn't still be friends. She was somehow upset to have disappointed Sev, but after all it could have been worse; the hat might have refused to sort her at all. She felt a little overwhelmed, almost dizzy with relief that the entire ordeal had taken no less than a couple of seconds, even after all the hours she'd spent thinking getting here. Sirius shifted up to make room for her but Lily pointedly ignored him, turning back towards the staff table and folding her arms indignantly.

"Could've sworn she'd be a Weasley." She heard one of her new housemates mutter to another, who must have been his identical twin for they shared the same shock of deep red hair and striking features.

"Not all redheads are Weasleys or Prewetts you know," Sniggered the other, "But we are all Gryffindors."

"I reckon the hat knows we'd clash with yellow."

Lily fought between the urge to laugh and the stronger urge to point out to two perfect strangers that she could see a fair distribution of other red headed students on all of the other tables – including Hufflepuff. Deciding that either option was probably a little rude, she chose instead to return her attention to the sorting, clapping as Rosalind Gray from the train became the first girl to join Slytherin table. At least Severus would have met one member of his house.

Remus, Peter, Severus and Xeno watched as Mafalda Hopkirk followed Romesh Grover over to the Ravenclaw table. Another student stepped up to face the hall, but Remus couldn't concentrate on anything other than the few yards which separated them from a powerful magical object that was about to judge him, presumably on everything he was. He saw a green banner wave out of the corner of his eye and he shivered slightly. Xenophilius was sorted into Ravenclaw after only a few moments and quickly professor McGonagall had reclaimed the hat and consulted her list.

"Remus Lupin."

He managed to make it to the stool without his knees giving out, an achievement as far as he was concerned, and the hat was placed over his head. _Hello._ It seemed to say, and Remus felt compelled to try and reply, how did one have a conversation with the voice inside their own head anyway? _No need for that, I already know everything I need to. Interesting really, a four way dilemma._ Remus was tense, if the hat knew everything then it must know… _Ah, yes. But really all I see is perhaps a little… natural affinity for a darker path, although I'd be surprised. The real question is do you want to blend in, or stand out? Hufflepuff might be full of faithful friends, but I think you'd do better in_ "Gryffindor!"

He positively flew from the stool and hurried down to the applauding table, finding a space next to Lily who beamed at him. They continued to watch, slowly shifting down the bench to make room for three new Gryffindor girls, quietly greeting Marlene McKinnon, Dorcas Meadows and Mary MacDonald. Mulciber and Nott both joined Slytherin and then Peter was up.

As Peter stepped up to the hat he consoled himself with the knowledge that he would know at least one new student in whichever house he was sent to. His mother had been in Slytherin but before Peter had left she had told him that she would be astonished if he didn't end up in Hufflepuff. The hat slipped over his eyes and Peter was enveloped in darkness. _Hmm._ A voice said. What did that mean? There was a pause that went on for almost a minute and Peter could feel himself beginning to panic, finally the voice went on. _Not Ravenclaw, that's fairly certain. But then…_ Another pause. _Tricky, not Hufflepuff either, although it wouldn't do you any harm. There is a potential, though for what, I doubt you know._ Another silence, this one even longer, there were coughs from a couple of students and Peter became aware that almost five minutes must have passed, by far the longest sorting so far. _Yes, sometimes it's important to take a chance, be brave, but don't overreach yourself. I think you'll find the best influences in_ "Gryffindor!"

* * *

James Potter stood on the outskirts of the crowd of those remaining to be sorted. His head swam with the intensity of his joy at finally being at Hogwarts. He loved his parents, loved his home and the quiet existence of an affluent wizarding family. But he was so ready for this. Professor McGonagall announced his name and he practically flounced up to the stool, flashing her a bright grin and then turning to face the hall of older pupils. He tried to meet as many eyes as he could before the hat was placed onto his head, waiting for that inevitable moment when it would call out "Gryffindor!" McGonagall didn't know how lucky she was to have him in her house. He almost thought he heard the hat chuckle as it was removed from his head, which was undoubtedly absurd, before it was pulled from his head and he was sent to join his new house.

He took a seat next to Sirius and reached out to vigorously shake his hand.

"Blimey mate, wasn't sure you'd make it!" He joked.

"Neither was I." Sirius looked as though he really meant it.

There were only around a dozen students left now and the oddly dressed boy who'd first joined their compartment was stepping up.

"Not surprised Snivellus got Slytherin, are you?" He asked Sirius barely a moment late as Snape descended through the crowd with a lingering look in the direction of their table.

"Nah," Sirius replied, "Redhead's with us though."

"My name is Lily." Lily told them hotly, "And his name is Severus, I suggest you use it."

"Sure thing, Evans." James told him, "Welcome to Gryffindor." Lily scoffed and looked pointedly away again, annoyed that James had obviously been paying enough attention to learn her name.

James had given up paying attention to the sorting at this point as it seemed the later part of the alphabet seemed to favour other houses, only Emmeline Vance coming to join their table. He instead turned his hand to scrutinising his new roommates. Peter had been sorted just one student before he had, James remembered, because the sorting had taken forever. He looked a little shell-shocked, staring at the remainder of the sorting as if he didn't know where else to look, pudgy hands nervously twisting before him on the table. Contrarily the other boy, whose name James was almost certain had begun with an 'R', was devoting a second to every aspect of the hall, eyes flickering beneath unruly golden brown hair which might have been almost as messy as James' own, had it not got the advantage of being slightly longer and thus tamed a little by gravity. James ran a hand through his own locks to ensure that none of them were daring to point the same way. Sirius just looked happy, a sentiment that James would be eager to echo, as soon as the rest of the sorting was out of the way and the food would hurry up and arrive.

Menzies Wright joined Slytherin and Dorian Zeller Hufflepuff and then, at long last, the sorting hat was taken away and Albus Dumbledore stood to address the restless students.

"Welcome." He said, eyes shining and his soft voice full of warmth, "Welcome all of you to Hogwarts. I hope that all of you will find it to be the home of some of your finest years. Before we begin, I have a few announcements and formalities and rules, many of which are already known to those older students, though not always heeded." James saw a significant number of smirks from older students.

"Firstly it is my pleasure to announce that Professor Armstrong has given birth to her thirteenth son, but will therefore taking a year of absence. I hereby introduce you to your new professor for defence against the dark arts; Professor Wood. "

Professor Wood was a cheerful looking fellow with an impressive moustache and beard which seemed to blend seamlessly into his long dark hair which trailed down over his shoulders. He stood briefly to accept his vague smattering of applause and then resumed his seat.

"Secondly, I remind students the forbidden forest is out of bounds, as are the lower dungeons, and any part of the castle other than house common rooms after 10pm. Hogsmead visits are allowed only for students in or above their third years, and only with express parental permission. Further, there has been a new addition upon the grounds of Hogwarts, the whomping willow, a pet project of Professor Sprout's which ought to prove completely harmless to you all – provided you do not got near it. All first years should be aware that house points are earned through good behaviour and achievement, and that at the end of the year the house cup will be awarded to the house with the most points." He surveyed them all, "I can see that perhaps I am losing you… so I suppose I ought to let the feast begin."

And it did. Without warning the tables were suddenly laden with dishes and plates, full settings appeared before every student in what appeared to be solid gold. There were a few minutes where nobody spoke, simply choosing to tuck in to the sumptuous spread and begin to settle in. James chewed on a mouthful of various foods, most of which didn't belong together and managed an undignified grin at Sirius.

"Looks like this is it then." He managed, somewhat comprehensively.

"Aren't we sort of a small year?" Sirius asked, looking around, indeed there seemed to be more than four new boys in each other house, and at least as many girls.

"Kind of yeah." A new voice broke in and Sirius saw that it was either Fabian or Gideon Prewett, whispering as much to clue James in.

"But Ravenclaw 6th year's even smaller." Gideon or Fabian added.

"There were only three girls in that year."

"And one of them transferred to Beauxbatons last summer."

"I wouldn't mind transferring to Beauxbatons." The twins shared a wistful look.

"After all, you know what they say about the headmistress…"

But they never did hear what people said about the headmistress of Beauxbatons because at that moment a ghost erupted from a mashed potato sculpture next to Sirius' plate. Gasps were heard up and down the tables as more and more translucent figures swept in through the floor and walls, drifting about the hall and introducing themselves to the younger students.

James thrust his hand out to shake that of the ghost, cursing himself when he heard Evans and some of the other girls giggling at him, the ghost himself just laughed heartily, making as if to shake James' proffered hand, although the only result was a feeling as if his fingertips had been introduced to a bucket of iced water.

"Good evening, young Sir!" He enunciated in an aggrandised Victorian accent, "I introduce myself as Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, ghost of Gryffindor tower!"

"But everybody calls him nearly-headless Nick." One of the prefects told them, causing Sir Nicholas to look slightly deflated. But he cheered considerably when Peter fell off the bench in shock as he demonstrated the nickname by grasping a handful of ghostly hair and tugging his head to one side so that it barely clung to his neck by a small amount of flesh. The sight would have been rather gruesome had Nick not been completely bloodless.

"That's far out!" Marlene gasped, "Can you take it all the way off?"

"I'd hardly be 'nearly-headless' if I could now, would I?" Nick floated off down the table to greet some returning seventh years and Marlene was left looking Sirius and James up and down.

"I'm Marlene."

"James."

"Sirius."

"Sirius Black right? That's a good one." She was grinning like she was in on a joke, "Can't believe there's a Black in Gryffindor."

"Old family?" Sirius asked carefully.

"Nope, both my parents are muggles, but Romilda's been telling me all about politics and wizard blood and stuff."

"All I said was I'd be surprised if he wasn't in Slytherin," Romilda had looked up at the mention of her name, "I'm glad you're not, though." She added hastily.

"So am I." said Sirius.

The four of them continued to chat, eventually dragging the other first years into the conversation until they had all been introduced to each other. By the time they had finished getting to know each other the food had vanished from their plates to be replaced with an array of puddings and desserts. The atmosphere could not have been lighter and despite still harbouring some frustration towards them Lily even allowed herself to be dragged into a short debate about the merits of coca cola over pumpkin juice with James and Sirius, despite Sirius having tried neither before today and thus providing very little contribution.

Finally the feast seemed to be ending

"I'm just going over to talk to Severus before it's time to go." Lily said, nodding to the Slytherin table.

"Not a good idea." Fabian told her mock sternly.

"Why not?"

"It's just not a good idea to be seen fraternising with the enemy on day one." James laughed at this.

"He's not the enemy. He's my friend."

"Well I'm sure you'll speak to your _friend_ tomorrow, just leave it for tonight, OK?"

Lily seemed about to argue but backed down. Remus decided there was probably a correlation between this and McGonagall's forewarning about the importance of first impressions. Lily did not seem the type to back down from a fight. But she settled for a vague wave in Snape's direction when their eyes met and a moment later rose with the other students to head off to bed. There was a moment of confusion as everyone who knew where they were going made for the main doors and the first years and even a couple of clueless looking second years looked around helplessly.

"First years?" A voice called over the crowd of Gryffindors, "I'm Cameron and this is Cleo." He indicated the girl next to him. "We're head boy and girl this year so if you have any issues come and find one of us, there are a handful of prefects wandering around too, although I don't recommend asking Proudfoot for any help – he's spent too much time with the Prewetts so you're just as likely to wind up with directions to Flich's bathroom than wherever you wanted to go. Maybe find Kingsley Shacklebolt instead."

"We'll take you up to the common room now," Cleo continued, "Don't fall behind, the staircases move."

The crowd of first years followed them out of the hall and towards a grand staircase which seemed completely stationary and climbed, seeming to take more left turns than ought to have been possible. It was only when they reached what must have been the fourth floor when the group lurched as the stairs themselves swept from one direction to another, blending back seamlessly with the banisters to create a completely new path.

"Don't worry," Cameron told them as Emmeline leaped back from the edge with a yelp, "I've never seen anyone fall off."

There was a worryingly challenging glint in James' eyes when he righted himself and smirked at Sirius. They continued their climb until finally they stopped at the back of the rest of Gryffindor house who appeared to be crowded around a portrait of a large woman in a hideous lilac gown.

"This is the entrance to Gryffindor tower. That right there is the fat lady, she guards the entrance from other houses." Cleo looked at them all sternly, "If you forget the password it's your own fault and you won't be able to get in. Passwords change every Thursday and we'll post them up on the bulletin board from morning till lunch so don't miss it. It's 'Oompa Loompa' at the moment, remember it." With that she strode past the crowd and presumably used the password as a moment later the portrait swung inwards to reveal a doorway which people begun to climb through.

"Woah."

The common room was bright, red tapestries and upholstery in every corner and an abundance of low tables and comfortable looking chairs and sofas. There were golden awnings over two huge fireplaces, one in each corner of the room, and the walls were almost hidden in places by posters and notices tacked over each other on notice boards. It looked like home.

It didn't take long before the girls had found their way to their own dormitories and the boys were heading to their own via a spiralling staircase which felt as though it must be leading them to the very top of the tower. They entered the room marked for first years and saw four enormous four-poster beds each beside a large bedside table and chest, arranged so as their foot ends were all pointing inwards towards the center of the room. James immediately claimed the first bed he came to by flopping down on top of it and sighing deeply. Sirius chose the bed next to him, nearer to the window, noting with surprise that their trunks had appeared by the foot of their beds, Remus wandering to the one opposite Sirius after sharing a shrug with Peter who hopped up onto the last available spot. The four of them sat for a moment and it dawned upon Sirius that this was to be his new family. He found that he rather liked the idea as he looked around at them.

"So," James said, finally detangling himself from his new covers, "I think there's only one way we're going to get to know each other."

"Isn't it kind of late for games?" Remus asked quietly, and Sirius noted that he did look rather tired under the lamplight.

"What kind of games?" Peter asked eagerly, Sirius wouldn't be surprised if he stayed up all night given the amount of sugar he'd watched Peter ingest during pudding.

"Not a game," James clarified pompously, "An exercise."

The others managed to all pull the same face of distaste at that suggestion.

"Well not really an exercise – we're going to build a pillow fort!"

"A what?" Asked Remus.

And so it was that barely fifteen minutes later both Sirius and Peter's mattresses were pushed together on the floor, completely enclosed on either side by sheets strung from one bed to another and tied to the room's central chandelier, a rather acrobatic feat which had already earned Sirius a new bruise. It was dim in their little fortress, but both roomy and cosy at the same time.

"Right lads, you'd all better take this very seriously." James whispered, looking at each of them in turn.

"I'm always serious." Said Sirius.

"That'd better have been the first and last time you ever make that joke or the pact is off."

"What pact?" Peter murmured rapturously, entranced by James' authoritative tone.

"The one we're about to make. To be friends from now on." There was an oddly impressive silence.

"I… haven't really had friends before." Sirius admitted quietly.

"Me neither," Remus added, "not for a long to time." He glanced away suddenly as if he wished he could take his words back but James and Peter were both nodding too.

"Guess I've never actually hung around with anyone my own age before," James told them, "I might be a little difficult to live with but, well, we're gonna be friends so…"

"So friends stick together." Peter finished.

"So do we swear then?"

"Not in front of our mothers, I hope." Remus muttered.

"Hey! This is a very solemn promise, you have to take it seriously." James told him.

"Yeah," Remus looked a little shy, "I solemnly swear that we're going to be friends."

The others echoed the words back and Sirius felt as though his chest was aching.

They never did get to know any more about each other that night though, the busy day taking its toll as the four of them quickly dropped off to sleep in a haphazard pile in their fortress, still wearing their Hogwarts robes. Sirius just had time to observe, before his eyes dropped shut, that the hems of all their robes had turned deep ruby red, as if by magic.


End file.
